How to Transform Your Deck Into a Sunroom (2024)

FAQs

How to Transform Your Deck Into a Sunroom? ›

By putting in some patio flooring and adding some glass or screen panels, you can transform the space under your elevated deck into a comfortable sunroom. Along with providing you with additional outdoor living space, this option is an affordable alternative to adding a completely new room to your house.

How Much Does It Cost to Convert a Deck Into a Sunroom? From Pergolas to all glass Sunrooms, projects can vary greatly in cost, starting as low as $12,000 and going as high as $100,000. The cost will depend on the sunroom's style and intended use.

Three-season: $5,000 to $30,000, according to HomeAdvisor. Materials for a three-season room enclosure can vary, but generally include framing materials and windows, at a minimum.

If you're looking for a new addition to your property that's beyond the scope of DIY, consider turning your deck into a sunroom. Provided you have the correct building permit and understand the local building codes, creating a three- or four-season room from your existing deck is easy.

Can a Deck Be Enclosed? Almost any outdoor living space can be enclosed, especially a deck or patio. Each one has a roof to provide extra protection, and it's up to you whether to use screens or windows. Screens are easier to remove, but windows offer better protection from rain and winter weather.

If your home is lacking the space for a Four Seasons Sunroom because an existing deck is occupying the perfect spot, there's a simple solution you may not have thought of — turn your deck into a four-season sunroom. It is possible to build a sunroom on an existing deck, and it's also often less expensive to do so!

Adding a porch enclosure can allow your home's value to increase by 4-6% and could help your home standout among other listings to potential buyers.

Increase Your Home's Value

While the average return on your investment of a custom sunroom is about 60 percent, some real estate experts estimate your return could reach nearly 80 percent, depending on the features and materials you use. Add value to your home by increasing the square footage of your living space.

How long does it take to build a sunroom on a deck? ›

While sunrooms are a straightforward construction project that takes less time to complete than several alternative home improvement projects, homeowners should still anticipate up to 12 weeks for proper installation.

The difference is that a screened porch will let air pass through the room, giving you the feeling of being outdoors while keeping out the bugs. A sunroom is a roofed structure that is glass enclosed. A sunroom is more like your living room with a better view.

A deck can make a great foundation for a sunroom, but as with all home additions, you need a support structure that is sound from the ground up. If your deck is in good quality and offers the right support, then you're good to go.

How Much Does It Cost to Enclose a Deck or Patio? The cost to enclose a patio may range from as little as $600 to more than $3,500, with approximately $1,200 as the national average. Your costs will vary depending on the scope of the project, the materials involved, and whether or not you hire a contractor.

To create a screened porch, you will need to add a roof, which will add weight to the deck's foundation and support structure. Make sure that the foundation is solid and fix any deteriorating pieces. If you don't know how to do this, you should consult a contractor before starting your project.

You can achieve all of this by building a screened enclosure over your existing deck. Although it's impossible to design an screen enclosure that fits every deck or need, you can easily modify our structure to fit almost anywhere, thanks to its few components and simple construction techniques.

The national average cost to screen a 200-square-foot existing porch is about $2,085. Most homeowners typically pay between $1,680 to $2,490. It can cost as little as $450 on the extreme low end, and as much as $2,885 on the high end.

Cost: Versus standard room additions, sunrooms simply cost less. Unless the sunroom is very large and has many high-end features, a standard all-season sunroom can cost thousands of dollars less than a room addition.

How much would a 400 sq ft sunroom cost? ›

The main reason screen rooms are the most affordable patio enclosure is because they require fewer materials and less labor. Many open porches can transform into screen rooms as they are under existing roofs, which further lowers the cost.

Lattice skirting is the most common and most cost effective option. Of course, it's our favorite. Lattice provides adequate ventilation and hides the ugly under your deck. To compare lattice products, see our “What lattice is best for your project” post.

Expect to pay $20,000 to $100,000 to create a sunroom out of a deck, depending on the cost of leveling and reinforcing, new flooring, insulation, HVAC systems, windows, and doors. Keep in mind that three-season sunrooms will have a lower conversion project cost.

But an experienced deck builder will reliably be able to build either and have it last for decades. However, if you aren't planning on installing a patio underneath, an attached deck has few major benefits. That, on top of the potential for water damage, is why we typically recommend building a freestanding deck.

Both a deck and a patio offer an impressive resale value. However, patios are usually less expensive, and their resale value is 100%—slightly higher than a deck's 76% resale value.

Does a Deck Add Value to a Home? In Remodeling Magazine's Cost vs. Value Report, research found that you can get back as much as 80% of the cost of a deck back when you sell your home. On average, the ROI of a deck is 70%.

Do you want a sunroom that catches as much sun as possible throughout the day? If so, build your sunroom on a south-facing section of the house. If you like to watch the sun come up then an east facing position is best, while a west facing room allows you to enjoy the late afternoon sun and sunset.

An 18-by-18-foot space should be roomy enough for a large couch, recliner, armchair, coffee table, television stand, and an end table. These dimensions are also a good fit for 42-inch television screens. For bigger screens, consider an 18-by-20-foot room or larger.

How much is a small sunroom? ›

On average, expect to pay between $150 and $300 per square foot for sunroom costs. A small 8-foot by 10-foot sunroom costs around $4,000 to $6,000, but a 12-foot by 20-foot sunroom might average around $20,000.

Most SunSpaces sunrooms can be installed without a foundation.

Patios are usually more cost-effective to construct than decks. The reason for this is that they're usually made out of concrete, bricks, or stone, which are all less expensive materials! One study showed that—per square foot—patios cost less than half the cost of decks!

Sunroom Lifespans

That can be anywhere from 10 years through to 50 or even more. While this doesn't mean that you're entitled to upgrades or new technologies, it does mean that if there are any issues with your sunroom in that time, they will be put right at no extra cost to you.

Sunrooms are by far the more expensive option. The cost of a sunroom addition varies greatly depending on the square footage, materials used and house specifications.

Four Season Rooms

If you are looking to add year-round living space to your home, a four season room is the best option for you. These rooms are manufactured with thermal breaks throughout the structure and double-pane, high-performance Comfort-Gard® insulated glass, so you can heat and cool your room cost-effectively.

Some homeowners just want to cover up the exposed under-deck beams and boards when they choose to add an underdeck ceiling. But if you've properly installed a deck drainage system, there are so many other advantages. With an under-deck ceiling you can create: An outdoor kitchen.

Unless you're building up or bumping out, every addition requires some sort of masonry foundation dug down below the frost line so it won't get pushed around by freezing temperatures.

A porch is most commonly a covered deck with screens for walls. A Covered Roof (or sometimes referred to as a hard cover) is a shade covering for a deck or concrete patio and is commonly made from the same roofing materials as the house.

What is the cheapest way to enclose an outdoor area? ›

The cheapest way to enclose a patio is by making use of existing structures like walls, fences or sheds. What is this? You can also make do with a temporary option such as a tarp.

Labor. Though heavily dependent on your roof type, size, and location, you should plan to pay roughly $20 to $40 per square foot in labor costs.

If the cost of the repair is more than half the cost of a deck replacement, replacing the deck may be the best option. Small deck repairs, such as filling holes and cracks or staining boards, can be DIY weekend projects, while homeowners will want to hire a professional to take on larger repairs or replacement.

Adding any deck covering or enclosure will typically cost between $1,000 – $10,000. Adding a covered roof to your deck will typically cost between $3,000 – $10,000.

If you're looking for a new addition to your property that's beyond the scope of DIY, consider turning your deck into a sunroom. Provided you have the correct building permit and understand the local building codes, creating a three- or four-season room from your existing deck is easy.

An enclosed porch is a roof-covered, screened-in room that's open to the elements. Whereas a sunroom is built with four walls, enclosed porches often have screens on either side that allow fresh air into the room. Advantages include: Good for entertaining guests, hosting parties, outdoor barbecues.

Most SunSpaces sunrooms can be installed without a foundation.

Sunrooms usually don't get included in a home's square footage total, which appraisers use to help determine home values. But a full-room addition will add square footage to your home and has a higher return on investment.